Genetics of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus is a multi-factorial autoimmune disease in which pancreatic beta cells are destructed by T-cell leading to insulin deficiency. Till date, no single gene is found to be solely responsible for Type 1 Diabetes. The disease can be dominant or recessive depending upon the loci (18 putative loci of type one diabetes are identified) combination. The strongest gene (IDDM1) responsible for type 1 diabetes is located in Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) Class II region of chromosome genes. It accounts for about forty percent of familial aggregation of type 1 diabetes. When there is variation in this gene the risk of disease increases.

Even though, type 1 diabetes mellitus is a polygenic disorder there are certain environmental factors that are seen to influence its occurrence.

Researchers propose two mechanisms for onset of type 1 diabetes

According to first mechanism environmental factors triggers the process of auto immune system. Clinically the disease occurs after gradual destruction of beta cells. But diagnosis of type 1 diabetes mellitus is made only after its symptoms are evident for few weeks.

Second mechanism suggests that pancreatic beta cells are mainly damaged due to super antigen reaction. Here the entire procedure takes a week time leading to clinical onset of type 1 diabetes.

Environmental factors can greatly influence the genetics of type 1 diabetes mellitus. A study done on identical twins showed that it is only in 30 to 40 percent cases that both the twin have type 1 diabetes. Being identical twins they had same genome but environmental factor was seen to be more influencing.

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